Dear Friends and Colleagues, 

This month we've got two stories in this April newsletter that I feel are related, that is the contaminated meat story and the flexitarian story.  The flexitarian story is about a new diet trend that includes about 10% meat and still provides many of the benefits that eating lots of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts and fruits will provide. It's basically about an approach to nutrition that's for people who are attracted to the vegetarian or vegan diet but just can't make the leap into a completely meat-free diet. 

Let's face it with cholesterol levels and obesity on the rise, and a dramatic increase in diseases and conditions that appear to originate from poor diets, such as diabetes and heart attacks, we've got lots of good reasons to get serious about what we eat and drink. A lot of us have come to realize now that carbonated sugary drinks are out, water and teas are in and that fried foods are out, baked and grilled foods are in.

Related to this trend was a big story in the Wall Street Journal, which appeared recently, about how more and more corporate people are bringing their own lunch so that they can better control what goes into their mouths. Not only can they eat fresh and healthy foods by doing so, but they can save money. Have you noticed all the beautiful, new, designer lunch bags that seem to be everywhere you look these days, even in the supermarkets? That's it...that's part of the new trend to manage your own diet. I just bought a new one for myself this weekend. Why not consider going in this direction, especially since the alternative is not always what it's cooked up to be?